Netflix, Constantin Film, Sky and MOIN Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein are among the production companies, broadcasters, VoD services and film funds in Germany to commit to more sustainable production.
The four sectors have taken part in a joint ‘green shooting’ working group to develop minimum standards for sustainable productions, and committed to comply with them from January 1, 2022.
Adhering to these standards is voluntary, but participating projects will be able to carry a ’green motion’ label in their credits or promotional material.
A production must meet at least 18 of 21 specifications in order to be awarded the label: these include appointing a green consultant to the production, avoiding diesel generators wherever possible, switching to LED spotlights, using trains instead of flights, more environmentally friendly vehicles, and calculating a CO² footprint.
Netflix has signalled that it will comply with these standards for all its productions commissioned in Germany, while ProSiebenSat.1 Media has committed for at least 75% of all shows. Companies like Bavaria Film, Constantin Film, Studio Hamburg and UFA, plus their respective subsidiaries, have also pledged to make all their productions more sustainable.
Regional film funds such as MOIN Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, MFG Baden-Württemberg, HessenFilm und Medien and MV Filmförderung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will make compliance with these standards a requirement when awarding their subsidies for production.
The standards were developed by the ‘green shooting’ working group together with film and TV sustainability expert Philip Gassmann, the Changemakers.film filmmakers initiative, climate researcher Prof. Dirk Notz and environmental scientist Nils König.
After one year, the ‘green shooting working group will evaluate the measures and their practicability.
Carl Bergengruen, managing director of the regional film fund MFG Baden-Württemberg and head of the ’green shooting’ working group, said: “The ecological minimum standards and the ‘green motion’ label are a strong, voluntary commitment by the German film, TV and VoD industry to better protect the climate.”
“Our specifications are ambitious, but, at the same time, realistic,” he explained. “This is a first important step combined with the goal of continuously advancing the minimum ecological standards. We also want to win more partners for this initiative. Germany needs a common ecological standard for all of its film, TV and VoD productions.”
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